I recently came back to magic after taking a bit of time off and now I am trying to piece together a modern deck, since those are the cards that I have. I do plan on being back for a while, so I'm definitely not abject to begin collecting newer stuff again, but I still don't have much yet.
This is a rough remake of a type-2 deck that I ran during the Alara-era:
I am positive that there are better fits for a sideboard, but for the decks that I have been running against, (think new players) this seems to do just fine.
That being said, I am looking for any constructive criticism and/or suggestions that you are willing to offer. I've been removed from mtg for a bit now and find myself unfamiliar with the current meta, so I would appreciate as many card links as possible.
Test it yourself. I have gone 2-1 against a faeries deck while testing, so it is by no means an autoloose. Meddling mage is key to this victory, as is intimidation bolt and hallowed burial. MM keeps bitterblossom and spellstutter from screwing with you and hallowed burial kills tokens. With lifegain, you also outlast faeries, so it is certainly not an autoloose.
So, I added firespout maindeck because it clears non flyers for 3, which in my meta, is pretty good and better than the fallout MD. I went with 6 of each basic land as well because I was consistantly a mountain short, and now no probelms. I am also confident with this deck's performance as it went 4-0 last FNM. Please try it and test it if you would like, its fun as hell, and is an alternative to 5cc.
Since it sounds like you have at least tried it a few times, what can you say about the deck's consistency and competitiveness?
Honestly, it depends. With the right opening hand (one of each mana is ideal but it can be done with far less), I can decimate most anything that crosses my path, MBC, Fog, WW, BBaggro, etc. Although if I miss a land drop from t1-5 it will cost me. I really like the way this deck runs though. The deck has the tools to deal with many things, and it usually works. I think it is pretty competitive, but I will find out tonight for sure.
This is what I thought at first, but after playing it in my old control deck, silence does hold its own. The fact that you can make kithkin loose ajani t4 creates a loss of tempo, just as preventing a Captain of the Watch t6 in soldiers will do. It functions as a response to many aggro decks that need a t4 plainswalker or a bloodbraid elf to operate at optimum efficiency. Bottom line, for one white, it gives you an extra turn of spells before an opponent has time to play more creatures and such.
Might I suggest Swerve? It's basically a Negate that's a little trickier to cast and can't target as much, but throws your opponent's kill spells back at him. Maybe there's room for it in the sideboard?
Actually, I had not thought of that particular card. It seems that it has many uses and the extra red in the cost isn't that difficult to come by. It also counters Banefire as the damage is not prevented, just redirected. I will test it and see what it does.
For a while now, I have wanted a good, viable control deck that does not involve the shaky mana base of 5cc or the use of faeries that I do not have. I think that this deck provides a stable platform on which a pretty good control deck can be made.
I go back to the archetype of a boros w/ blue deck that was poplular during Ravnica. Some burn, some lifegain, some counters, all very nice things to have in a control deck. So without further ado, here is my proposed list.
Ok so some explanation. Baneslayer Angel is an obvious choice for a beater because its so damn good, and nothing is a better blocker in a pinch. The first strike and lifelink make this a necessity. Meddling Mage is just a nice card to have especially with counters so you counter it the first time and prevent it from being played again. Intimidation Bolt is absolutely necessary because it kills as well as stops attacking creatures. The planeswalkers do much the same as the rest of the deck, killing things, gaining life, drawing cards, making tokens, pumping, etc. The overall product is a deck that can handle itself on the field of aggro as well as smack other control decks in the face with
This deck is still in its infancy and has not been tested thoroughly so any insight or recommendations are welcome and appreciated.
I considered both, but neither passed the test. Swerve is ok but I'd rather have something like ambitions or ponder instead. Nucklavee was in there to start, but there aren't enough targets for him to grab in a typical game. I'd rather leave the mana open during their turn with fallout or cryptic in my hand. The goal is to spend as much mana during their turn as possible. It freaks them out lol. It's little control trick I learned way back: as long as 2 blue is up, no spell is safe
So at last FNM, I, like so many others did, showed up with WW trying to see how awesome it is. My list was pretty solid, won 2 mirrors lost to another and combo elves. 2-2. Not bad, but certainly not as well as I usually go. I have faced that same combo elves deck many times and so in frustration of getting eaten by 19 96/96's, I built a deck to eat it and WW.
(yes that actually happened... combo ran out of juice on t3 when he missed a draw so on t4 he had 23 elves and 4 archdruids, each adding 23 into the pool for a total of 92. Then he actually used his land and had 96 mana for Mirror Entity and swung with the rest. I cried.)
This deck does exactly what it is supposed to do. It kills WW and combo elves. Nothing like twincasting a volcanic fallout for 4 damage board sweep and burn. I agree that it is unorthodox, but as my meta consits of 2 decks, it wins every game. Can only have so many Tenders. Overall I am pleased with this deck and it actually does ok against other decks as well: tested verses MBC, U/Wc, and fog.
So, I know the manabase is awkward due to no special lands of any type, but with all the Anathemancers that are played where I am, it worked out quite nicely. The one game that I lost was against Jund Aggro with Deathbringer Thoctar and I had some bad luck with his removal and my lack of drawing what I needed. Overall, it was incredibly fun to play, and I learned that Garruk Wildspeaker is a must have if for nothing else other than mana. I would run Ajani Goldmane instead of Elspeth, Knight-Errant but I don't have any, nor do I have any Noble Hierarch. What do you guys think about possibly running Mycoloth? Seems like he could be amazing after a spectral. G/W tokens is amazing.
The biggest problem that I see with these is that they utilize too much Lorwyn stuff. It cycles out soon and I would like something with a bit more continuity through the cycle. That being said, thanks for your advise.
I don't have ajani, that's why I'm using Elspeth, even though I know that he will be reprinted in the next core set. I agree that 4 martial coup may be a bit much so here is my propsed v2.0
I'm sick of my esper deck so I decided to create a new deck in the colors that I used to play in Ravnica. My strategy is pretty simple, make tokens and kill stuff. Any suggestions will be great. Trying to keep this deck alara only with the exception of Spectral.
This deck has no playtesting and is 100% theoretical at this point. My feelings about it right now are that it is too slow to make tokens and is thus wide open early game, it is a bit spell-heavy, it doesn't have sufficient stall tactics, and last but not least, it has no draw. I'm not sure how to address these problems but would love some input from you guys. Thanks in advance.
Im working on a playset of Path to Exile right now, but the site I just ordered from was out of them, so I'll have to wait on that one, but I like the idea of Sculpting Steel and Terror. The only problem with reanimation is that I haven't figured out how to impliment it into my concept. Thanks for the suggestions.
The primary design of this deck is to get as many small creatures out to be buffs for Master of Etherium. I have found that it is pretty fast and can function on little mana, however it lacks the tools to be able to deal with large creatures if I don't get the proper draws. It is a very conditional deck that lacks versatility and resilience. So in my thoughts for a revamp I decided to take it in a new direction.
I added a bunch of larger creatures, upping the average mana cost for everything due to testing in which I had too much mana and not enough to do with it. I popped Master Transmuter in for some nice coordination with Sphinx Summoner and Inkwell Leviathan but kept in Master of Etherium for general awesomeness. I have yet to test this deck extensively, but I believe that this is a better solution. I have been out of standard for a while, and this is my attempt to come back at a relatively cheap cost for type 2. (tezz isn't exactly cheap, but since I ordered 3, I plan on using them.) Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
As you can probably tell by my signature and such, I haven't been in magic for a while. I quit after Ravnica due to time and money stuff, but have decided to continue playing. Wondering if anyone has some suggestions on a cheap budget deck that could get me back into tournaments again. Thinking on going UW and possibly splashing some B in there. Any suggestions, please I'm all ears.
I was talking to my mormon friend and he pissed me off so I said, "Get your *butt* back to salt lake and drink a *ducking* Coke." I thought it was pretty funny, but he didn't. Then I was on the marching field and my director was talking about a hole in the marching form and said, "you could drive a semi through that hole," then after that, I leaned over to the douschbag next to me and said, "Just like your *butthole* you ***." Since then I have been making gay jokes about him constantly. I find it humerous and apparently so does he.
I would say that I am pretty right field on pretty much every issue and opinion. Though right now in Washington, I don't go for either party as both equally as incompetent. I would also say that people who are incapapable of listening to the other side of an argument are dumb. Naturally I will disagree with things people on the left will say, but that doesn't mean that I can't give them the respect of listening to their side of the issue, even if I think that they are so open minded their brain fell out. I really can't stand the fact that this country is moving so far to the left, but then again so is the whole world. I feel good to be in the small percentile of conservative magic players.
This is a rough remake of a type-2 deck that I ran during the Alara-era:
6 Forest
9 Plains
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
Creatures - 16
4 Cloudgoat Ranger
4 Kitchen Finks
4 Loxodon Hierarch
4 Wilt-Leaf Liege
2 Ajani Goldmane
Spells - 19
3 Harm's Way
4 Honor of the Pure
3 Intangible Virtue
3 Midnight Haunting
2 Overrun
4 Spectral Procession
2 Burrenton Forge-Tender
3 Guttural Response
2 Naturalize
3 Oblivion Ring
3 Path to Exile
2 Silence
I am positive that there are better fits for a sideboard, but for the decks that I have been running against, (think new players) this seems to do just fine.
That being said, I am looking for any constructive criticism and/or suggestions that you are willing to offer. I've been removed from mtg for a bit now and find myself unfamiliar with the current meta, so I would appreciate as many card links as possible.
Thanks in advance.
Test it yourself. I have gone 2-1 against a faeries deck while testing, so it is by no means an autoloose. Meddling mage is key to this victory, as is intimidation bolt and hallowed burial. MM keeps bitterblossom and spellstutter from screwing with you and hallowed burial kills tokens. With lifegain, you also outlast faeries, so it is certainly not an autoloose.
3 Baneslayer Angel
3 Meddling Mage
Planeswalkers 9
4 Ajani Vengeant
3 Jace Beleren
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Other Spells 21
4 Intimidation Bolt
4 Cryptic Command
4 Path to Exlie
3 Firespout
2 Hallowed Burial
2 Banefire
2 Negate
4 Glacial Fortress
2 Gargoyle Castle
6 Island
6 Plains
6 Mountain
3 Volcanic Fallout
3 Swerve
3 Pithing Needle
2 Planar Clensing
2 Silence
1 Meddling Mage
1 Baneslayer Angel
So, I added firespout maindeck because it clears non flyers for 3, which in my meta, is pretty good and better than the fallout MD. I went with 6 of each basic land as well because I was consistantly a mountain short, and now no probelms. I am also confident with this deck's performance as it went 4-0 last FNM. Please try it and test it if you would like, its fun as hell, and is an alternative to 5cc.
Honestly, it depends. With the right opening hand (one of each mana is ideal but it can be done with far less), I can decimate most anything that crosses my path, MBC, Fog, WW, BBaggro, etc. Although if I miss a land drop from t1-5 it will cost me. I really like the way this deck runs though. The deck has the tools to deal with many things, and it usually works. I think it is pretty competitive, but I will find out tonight for sure.
This is what I thought at first, but after playing it in my old control deck, silence does hold its own. The fact that you can make kithkin loose ajani t4 creates a loss of tempo, just as preventing a Captain of the Watch t6 in soldiers will do. It functions as a response to many aggro decks that need a t4 plainswalker or a bloodbraid elf to operate at optimum efficiency. Bottom line, for one white, it gives you an extra turn of spells before an opponent has time to play more creatures and such.
Actually, I had not thought of that particular card. It seems that it has many uses and the extra red in the cost isn't that difficult to come by. It also counters Banefire as the damage is not prevented, just redirected. I will test it and see what it does.
I go back to the archetype of a boros w/ blue deck that was poplular during Ravnica. Some burn, some lifegain, some counters, all very nice things to have in a control deck. So without further ado, here is my proposed list.
3 Baneslayer Angel
3 Meddling Mage
Planeswalkers 9
4 Ajani Vengeant
3 Jace Beleren
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Other Spells 21
4 Cryptic Command
4 Path to Exile
4 Intimidation Bolt
3 Hallowed Burial
3 Silence
2 Negate
1 Banefire
4 Glacial Fortress
2 Gargoyle Castle
7 Plains
6 Island
5 Mountain
1 Baneslayer Angel
3 Lightning Bolt
1 Meddling Mage
3 Pithing Needle
2 Platinum Angel
1 Silence
4 Volcanic Fallout
Ok so some explanation. Baneslayer Angel is an obvious choice for a beater because its so damn good, and nothing is a better blocker in a pinch. The first strike and lifelink make this a necessity. Meddling Mage is just a nice card to have especially with counters so you counter it the first time and prevent it from being played again. Intimidation Bolt is absolutely necessary because it kills as well as stops attacking creatures. The planeswalkers do much the same as the rest of the deck, killing things, gaining life, drawing cards, making tokens, pumping, etc. The overall product is a deck that can handle itself on the field of aggro as well as smack other control decks in the face with
This deck is still in its infancy and has not been tested thoroughly so any insight or recommendations are welcome and appreciated.
(yes that actually happened... combo ran out of juice on t3 when he missed a draw so on t4 he had 23 elves and 4 archdruids, each adding 23 into the pool for a total of 92. Then he actually used his land and had 96 mana for Mirror Entity and swung with the rest. I cried.)
4 Cascade Bluffs
4 Reflecting Pool
4 Mutavault
7 Mountain
5 Island
Creatures 7
3 Bogardan Hellkite
4 Magma Phoenix
4 Cryptic Command
4 Broken Ambitions
4 Twincast
4 Ponder
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Volcanic Fallout
3 Pyroclasm
2 Banefire
2 Act of Treason
3 Negate
3 Pithing Needle
3 Flame Javelin
2 Platinum Angel
2 Chandra Nalaar
This deck does exactly what it is supposed to do. It kills WW and combo elves. Nothing like twincasting a volcanic fallout for 4 damage board sweep and burn. I agree that it is unorthodox, but as my meta consits of 2 decks, it wins every game. Can only have so many Tenders. Overall I am pleased with this deck and it actually does ok against other decks as well: tested verses MBC, U/Wc, and fog.
Any feedback is appreciated.
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Wilt-leaf Liege
4 Kitchen Finks
4 Cloudgoat Ranger
4 Dauntless Escort
2 Steward of Valeron
2 Qasali Pridemage
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
Spells 14
4 Path to Exile
4 Spectral Procession
4 Wildfield Borderpost
2 Martial Coup
Land 18
10 Plains
8 Forest
4 Guttural Response
3 Burrenton Forge-Tender
2 Wrath of God
3 Oblivion Ring
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Steward of Valeron
I don't have ajani, that's why I'm using Elspeth, even though I know that he will be reprinted in the next core set. I agree that 4 martial coup may be a bit much so here is my propsed v2.0
4 Dauntless Escort
4 Lorescale Coatl
4 Rhox War Monk
3 Sigil Captain
Spells 23
3 Bant Charm
4 Spectral Procession
4 Path to Exile
2 Flurry of Wings
2 Martial Coup
3 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
3 Glorious Anthem
1 Loxodon Warhammer
4 Seaside Citadel
2 Ancient Ziggurat
3 Adarkar Wastes
2 Yavimaya Coast
5 Plains
4 Forest
3 Island
4 Dauntless Escort
4 Sigil Captain
4 Knight-Captain of Eos
Spells 26
4 Flurry of Wings
4 Spectral Procession
4 Martial Coup
4 Path to Exile
3 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
3 Glorious Anthem
2 Behemoth Sledge
2 Bant Charm
4 Seaside Citadel
4 Adarkar Wastes
2 Yavimaya Coast
5 Plains
4 Forest
3 Island
This deck has no playtesting and is 100% theoretical at this point. My feelings about it right now are that it is too slow to make tokens and is thus wide open early game, it is a bit spell-heavy, it doesn't have sufficient stall tactics, and last but not least, it has no draw. I'm not sure how to address these problems but would love some input from you guys. Thanks in advance.
4 Master of Etherium
4 Etherium Sculptor
4 Esperzoa
4 Ornithopter
4 Thoughtcutter Agent
4 Court Homunculus
2 Parasitic Strix
2 Ethersworn Canonist
4 Esper Charm
3 Cancel
3 Kiss of the Amesha
3 Obelisk of Esper
Land
4 Adarkar Wastes
2 Arcane Sanctum
3 Swamp
4 Plains
6 Island
The primary design of this deck is to get as many small creatures out to be buffs for Master of Etherium. I have found that it is pretty fast and can function on little mana, however it lacks the tools to be able to deal with large creatures if I don't get the proper draws. It is a very conditional deck that lacks versatility and resilience. So in my thoughts for a revamp I decided to take it in a new direction.
4 Master Transmuter
4 Master of Etherium
4 Ornithopter
4 Etherium Sculptor
4 Sphinx Summoner
3 Tezzeret The Seeker
2 Inkwell Leviathan
2 Ethersworn Adjudicator
2 Ethersworn Canonist
4 Loxodon Warhammer
4 Esper Charm
4 Obelisk of Esper
Land
4 Adarkar Wastes
4 Arcane Sanctum
1 Swamp
3 Plains
7 Island
I added a bunch of larger creatures, upping the average mana cost for everything due to testing in which I had too much mana and not enough to do with it. I popped Master Transmuter in for some nice coordination with Sphinx Summoner and Inkwell Leviathan but kept in Master of Etherium for general awesomeness. I have yet to test this deck extensively, but I believe that this is a better solution. I have been out of standard for a while, and this is my attempt to come back at a relatively cheap cost for type 2. (tezz isn't exactly cheap, but since I ordered 3, I plan on using them.) Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
As you can probably tell by my signature and such, I haven't been in magic for a while. I quit after Ravnica due to time and money stuff, but have decided to continue playing. Wondering if anyone has some suggestions on a cheap budget deck that could get me back into tournaments again. Thinking on going UW and possibly splashing some B in there. Any suggestions, please I'm all ears.